#53 / Just clearing away the weeds made me so happy
Hello my friend! 👋
This weekend is a public holiday in New Zealand. My family and I basically chilled out, doing nothing much, except tidying up the balcony and garden corners at the entrance of our house.
We had a lot of potted plants in these two areas, but because of the fallen leaves from the front yard trees, it was hard to notice. Over time, without cleaning, the pots accumulated too many fallen leaves and small twigs, turning into soil, and even attracting some little bugs. I moved all the pots aside, cleaned up the soil and fallen leaves, and now it looks much fresher.
Even though it was just a small task, it gave me a great sense of accomplishment.
Here’re a few things I’d like to share with you today 🙂
Rising Phoenix
My 2 strikes: English and Internet
Don’t reply comments on social
What to do when you are new
Turn Articles into Podcasts with AI in Minutes!
Rising Phoenix
Netflix’s documentaries vary in quality, but “Rising Phoenix” is absolutely stellar. It’s been a long while since I’ve seen a film so fiery, so full of emotion and strength, that makes you cry, laugh, and feel utterly motivated all at once.
The athletes featured in the film each have their own stories, some born with disabilities, others survivors of horrific events like the Rwandan genocide. The founder of the Paralympic Games, Dr. Ludwig Guttmann, is a legend himself: a German Jew and a World War II survivor who fled to the UK. He started organizing sports events as a form of therapy for veterans with spinal injuries, which eventually evolved into an event parallel to the Olympic Games. The journey was filled with challenges, including a funding crisis during the 2016 Rio Olympics that almost led to its cancellation, but they persevered thanks to the Paralympic spirit.
The documentary is highly praised on IMDb as well, drawing emotional responses from many viewers (myself included), and currently holds a score of 8.1. I would personally rate it a 9.
I seldom say this, but in these turbulent times, watching these Paralympic athletes compete with such relentless spirit can break through any barrier.
My 2 strikes: English and Internet
I studied physics in college, a major that hardly ever leads directly to a related job. My first job was with a private company in a small city, where I dealt with tea business. By today’s big corporate standards, that start might seem like a terrible hand of cards.
But I made two smart moves: I maintained a decent level of English from my studies and didn’t let it slip away; and I kept up with the internet and technology sectors.
These decisions have significantly shaped my current career and life.
Don’t reply comments on social
Psychologist Wu Zhihong emphasizes the importance of maintaining personal boundaries. He observed that some successful entrepreneurs, contrary to expectations, do not engage in socializing. This aligns with the concepts discussed in the book “Digital Minimalism,” which I have been partially implementing. A challenging yet critical principle from the book is to avoid responding to any comments on social media. I plan to elaborate on why this principle is vital for protecting our attention in the future. It’s counterintuitive and goes against human psychological tendencies, which makes it difficult to adhere to.
What to do when you are new
In modern society, people frequently face the challenge of entering new environments and assuming new roles. Whether it’s starting a new job, becoming a parent, moving to a new city, or even relocating to a new country, the most crucial skill to have is knowing how to quickly and effectively adapt to new surroundings and roles, and how to access the necessary resources and information.
The book “What to Do When You’re New” addresses these very issues. It’s particularly useful if you’ve just joined a new company.
The book outlines five specific actions to take when entering a new environment or role: First, introduce yourself. Second, remember people’s names. Third, learn to ask questions. Fourth, build relationships. Fifth, practice getting things done in the new environment. Most people don’t realize that these actions require conscious effort and training. For example, self-introduction is a skill that can be developed, though many are unaware of its importance. Especially for introverts, the idea of proactively introducing themselves and building relationships is outside their comfort zone and not something they would naturally consider.
As an introvert myself, I understand this all too well. However, if introverts can consciously train themselves in these areas, the benefits they gain can be significantly greater than those for extroverts.
Turn Articles into Podcasts with AI in Minutes!
In this video, I experiment with an AI tool that converts articles into podcast conversations. Watch as I transform my blog post into a dynamic podcast episode featuring two virtual co-hosts. I walk you through the process from logging in to creating an episode and share my thoughts on the final result. If you’re curious about leveraging AI for content creation, this video is a must-watch!
Have a great one and see you soon!
**Bear Academy Newsletter@2023**
Bear Academy Newsletter
Non-crap tips and thoughts on design, product and technology ✨
🐻 Bear Who?
Hi there 👋, I’m Bear, a seasoned Product Designer with 15 years of overall design experience and six years in product design, transforming the user experiences for millions 📝
As an Apple Award-Winning Podcast Host at BearTalk and a Design Mentor at Springboard and CareerFoundry, I apply my self-taught design skills and science background to solve complicated problems and mentor budding designers 😃
In my downtime, you’ll find me reading, drawing, podcasting, and making videos about everything from tech to design and productivity 👨🎨
🤓 Work
💼 What I do：Product Designer at Xero
🌃 I also do：Design Mentor at Springboard and CareerFoundry / Founder at Bear Academy
🎤 Side hustle：Podcast host at Award-winning podcast BearTalk
💡 Goodies
Bear Academy - my courses around UX Design, AI, etc
Bear Academy Newsletter - my free newsletter, which you are reading now
Beartalking.com - all my posts, English and Chinese
Youtube.com/@Bearliu - A video is worth a thousand words
💬 Contact
https://twitter.com/bearbig](https://twitter.com/bearbig) - Majorly I post in Chinese
bear@beartalking.com - The old fashion email way
LinkedIn.com/in/bearliu - My professional life